Leaders of nations first did it. Military generals do it. Even high powered CEOs now do it.

When they need something of critical importance actioned, they pick-up the Red Phone and make a direct call to the person who can most influence what they need to achieve.

Our world is now vastly more connected than ever before thanks to the internet. Yet, cutting-through to decision makers and getting them to take you seriously is harder than ever. We are all far too busy and well informed to indulge a stranger blatantly trying to sell us something over the phone. Countless past negative experiences have trained us to know better.

The phone is still a powerful tool if you know how to utilise its qualities correctly.

While a cold-call typically requires minimal effort and talent by simply collating a database and hitting the phone until your self-conscious catches up with you. A Red Phone call requires thorough planning, structure, investing time to determine why you are calling, having a depth of knowledge about whom you are calling, and knowing how your call will inspire the recipient to action.

Cold-calling is a numbers game, and an exhausting one at that. In contrast, applying the Red Phone is about quality not quantity calls. One successful Red Phone call can be a game changer and set off a cascading effect that transforms your year or maybe even your career.

Red Phone calls are big, bold calls to people that can genuinely help you in a big way and dramatically impact your business. For my business, Red Phone calls are made to specific critical influencers in large companies. In reality, if I do this right, I only need to make 50 Red Phone calls a year. The common garden variety cold-caller can achieve this volume in as little as an hour. Demonstrating the bulk of a cold-caller’s time is indeed a waste of time.

Most telephone tactics are little more than carelessly disguised pleas for help from desperate salespeople who haven’t worked out a meaningful approach to engage new customers:

Here are 8 steps to help you master the Red Phone principle:

1. Never cold call a decision maker. They are too busy and once they say no, you will rarely get another chance to pitch;
2. Understand your customers by establishing who really influences the decision to buy from you and why (map and define your critical influencers and decision makers and their emotive drivers in fine detail);
3. Tap into your network of connections, and utilise relevant media and social networks to source insights and intelligence about your critical influencers;
4. Who influences your critical influencer. Taking an indirect approach, before going direct can be a smart approach and pay dividends;
5. Dont be intimidated when calling, instead be prepared. Do your research, this could take not only hours, but weeks;
6. Make each call with at least one piece of ‘critical information’ that empowers and educates your influencer in new or innovative way;
7. Be credible and communicate from a place of commonality and expertise;
8. Clearly communicate the outcome, in doing so map out a path, establish buy-in and gain the right to proceed;

These are some of the key elements to making a successful Red Phone call. Apply only a few of these methods and you’ll be miles ahead of your average cold-caller.

For more information on this liberating new telephone technique visit: http://tiny.cc/f1oti

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training —  Customer Service Training

In 1988 I watched in horror as my childhood hero Carl Lewis was blown away by Ben Johnson in the men’s 100m final at the Seoul Olympic Games.

The ripped and bulging Canadian sprinter launched out of the blocks to blaze to a new world record time of 9.79 seconds. To my relief, three days later, Johnson was stripped of his gold medal and banned for testing positive to steroids. Lewis was then unceremoniously anointed as the Olympic champion, and faith was restored to my little world.

Not many records can endure the vacillation of time. Johnson’s drug assisted time was considered only possible because he used a banned substance. His time has since been broken on several occasions. Usain Bolt is the reigning Olympic champion and world recorder holder, clocking in a 9.58 seconds. May I be so bold as to suggest that one day a man of freakish ability will run it in eight seconds?

Each generation strives to be more than their ancestors. More opulent, more enlightened, more successful. Smarter, faster! To achieve this we must overcome ignorance, abolish inhibiting beliefs, and embrace change. This path is risky, but ultimately, it serves by moving us all forward. To evolve, records need to be broken and new rules set. We live in a world of flux and ceaseless movement. If you’re standing still, in reality, you are moving backwards.

Genuine innovation is challenging to achieve, because initially only you trust it. And without others buying-in to your vision, who will fund it and run with it?  Not many, which usually spells the death of a great idea. True innovators live on the edge, blazing away with new ideas and brazen beliefs. To break a long held record or tradition set by others, you’ll need a stomach full of courage, thick skin and unyielding commitment to the cause.

Never be the one to succumb to other people’s ignorance or take unconstructive feedback as a reason to give up your dream. You are unstoppable when your vision sings to your determination and inspires you to work through adversity. Sticking your neck out is never easy, especially if what you believe in runs contrary to the majority.

Ben Johnson broke both the rules and world record in Seoul, however, in an unethical way, and that will always meet with penalty. At some point, much of what you believe in today will evolve or change, so be open to it. What shouldn’t change are your self-belief and desire to be better. Keep on striving. And if you genuinely believe a rule should be broken… smash it!

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

Sales is a game. Though not a numbers game as some would suggest, it’s more a mental game.

Every year, I work with hundreds of sales and service people across industries. What strikes me most is the chasm between the high and low performers. This distinction is always a matter of mindset.

If you haven’t made a sale in weeks, or hit a target in months, you should be anxious. That state should transcend to frustration, and if that persists, then raw anger! By anger, I dont mean, slapping customers in the face until they sign the contract. I refer to a deep sense of injustice for not succeeding at what you do. This sensation is essential to all creatures that compete for survival in any jungle.

Despite modern advances human beings are still primitive creatures. Just tune into the six o’clock news of an evening and you’ll get a taste of reality. We live in a ruthless world and occasionally things dont go our way. Understand this, and then swiftly get over it. When your back is to the wall… slowly stretch your fingers and flare your claws …get angry!

I observe business people blaming their lack of performance on external forces, such as; market conditions, ineffective marketing, too many time wasters, or a crack pot manager. They curse, bicker and spit at others with resentment. These people are angry all right, but their energy is directed at everyone but themselves. In this instance, the first person you need to confront is you! Look yourself dead in the eye and demand answers! And it’s the answers you’re most reluctant to hear and acknowledge that move you forward.

Are you lazy? Fearful of rejection? Do you lack passion? Not willing to do the hard yards? Are you too focused on money? Does your ego need a stroke? Are you caught-up in internal politics? Is your confidence shot? Are you exhausted? Do you feel unloved? …Ok. So what?

Dont fall into the trap of putting “your own” story above the need to get the job done. Turn your anger into action! Do the most challenging tasks first, as they often bring the juiciest rewards. Cold call that CEO! She won’t bite. Get up at the crack of dawn and knock on doors! In that big presentation today, take control, be assertive and ask for the business! Stop fluffing around the edges and cut-through to the outcome. Making mistakes is ok, just keep learning and keep going! You may be down now, but the animal is never down for long.

If you’re in sales, you’re paid to sell. If you can’t and won’t do that, then move on and find a role more aligned with your natural skills and cerebral capacity. When push comes to shove, you’re the only person that can change your reality. Yes, at times, it’s a nasty, scary and unforgiving jungle out there, so start channelling your inner animal. Dont get eaten… get angry!

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

Unlike other performance athletes ― salespeople are expected to compete forty eight weeks or more every year.

Nearly all performance sports are structured in a way so that the athlete actually competes at a small fraction of their time in comparison to the time spent developing strategy, refining skills and training and recovering.

Sales managers for some bizarre reason believe their salespeople needn’t subscribe to the same approach. This false belief limits their sales people’s success and ultimately leads to fatigue and underperformance.

To be at their best salespeople need to be fresh in mind, body and spirit. When we are tired and under mental stress, not only does our performance suffer but the pleasures associated with what we do diminish, rapidly. I habitually ask salespeople with low motivation levels, ‘if they were succeeding more would they be more motivated?’ The overwhelming response is always a resounding, ‘yes!’

In many cases, it’s not the company nor the role a salesperson is unsatisfied with, it’s the fact they are not receiving validation for effort. As a sales manager, be sure to understand what is truly motivating your team (and individuals within it) as this could mean the difference between a salesperson becoming your best asset as opposed to leaving and becoming your competitor’s advantage.

It’s common for a CFO, or sales manager that possesses little or no relevant sales experience, to be the person who sets the annual sales budget and target. These figures are pulled from the ether and usually based on leveraging costs and profit percentage increases. In this case, there is scant regard for what constitutes a realistic target that also factors in changes in the economy. As a result targets rarely go down from year-to-year, instead they usually track north. Meaning, salespeople are forced to run themselves into the ground chasing shadows without regular timeouts to reflect, refine, and rejuvenate.

The old cliché; ‘people dont leave a company they leave a manager’ is correct. So too, salespeople leave a sales manager, particularly those that set pie in the sky expectations that stifle validation.

Give your best people the support they need with habitual training, realistic goals, related incentives, guiding processes, and most of all inspirational leadership. Let them take some space to rest and refine their strategy when they need it. This will result in greater stamina, enhanced performance and ultimately more sales.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

One of the most valuable asset’s you can create in business is called a ‘friendship with benefits’.

Not the touchy and feeling kind, rather an enduring relationship between a customer and vendor that contributes to both in a meaningful way. Acquaintances, we can take or leave. Typically surface level, these relationships hold little lasting value. Unfortunately, the majority of customers are treated this way because staff are not empowered habitually with the right knowledge and skills.

Its vital businesses get this right: how you treat people in a commercial situation shouldn’t differ that much to a social setting. The same essentials apply, such as; empathy, common courtesy, respect, keeping our word, and above all a genuine interest in the other party’s best interests. Think about the people we consider friends. What behaviours do they demonstrate? How long have we known them? Why are they so important to us? What really attracts us to them?

More than anything else, we are attracted to friends because of how they make us feel.

We can share a laugh or divulge our deepest insecurities. We spend time getting to know who they really are and what’s really important to them. Friends dont try to blatantly profit from us, without of course, being swiftly removed from our social group. Friends, more often than not, are adept at listening to us. When you consider your best friend, they are exceptional at it.

As a customer, I prefer to buy from someone I like and trust. I hate being sold something, instead, I want to be empowered with information. I detest being smothered by self-focused communication and marketing jargon. I crave to be heard and understood. And if there’s a problem, I need to know someone is there for me, always. Yes, as vendor, your success is important to me too. I’m willing to pay fair value for my purchase and I dont mind you profiting, but never at my detriment.

Some say, you can measure a person by the quality of their friends. This is true. The principle applies profoundly to businesses too. Ironically ― being a true friend isn’t all that hard, but it does take effort. And customers aren’t really that complex to understand, you should know, as you’re one also. Good friends are hard to find, so never be a salesperson ― always be a friend with benefits.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

sales training

Despite what some entrepreneurs believe, taking risks is not a silver bullet to success.

What is, is taking a risk, experiencing challenges, and then applying what you’ve learned, time and again.

Many business people take risks and then experience overwhelming resistance, but this is not failing. You only truly fail if you abort your dream entirely. Ironically most people give up just before the finishing line, not aware that the line is within their grasp. Which demonstrates your potential is usually just beyond your breaking point if you dare to smash through it.

Quitting is very different to failing. Sometimes you need to quit something to succeed. Quit the things you’re doing wrong. Quit the need to be right all the time. Quit not listening to smarter people. Quit surrounding yourself with shallow people. Quit being motivated by ego.

Imagine you’re a sergeant in the army and your objective is to get your platoon to the top of a hill, while your enemy is on higher ground. If you chose to keep marching the troops unsuccessfully up the hill because you refuse to quit, then failure becomes disastrously inevitable. Quitting temporarily, regrouping and refining your strategy, in this case, is not failing, it’s the smartest option.

Your success in life will be in proportion to your ability to (focus) and assert discipline towards achieving your goal. But if you haven’t thought your strategy through or don’t possess the passion to see it through, then aborting your process to do something more aligned with your values is a good tack too.

Don’t take risks for the sake of it, this is called gambling. Making mistakes and overcoming challenges are part of business, but to get the best results they must be attached to something meaningful to you. This can actually be fun if you’re not harming others and you’re prepared to learn, grow and apply the lessons and keep going until you reach your destination.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

Process is essential to success in all areas of business.

Even creative people have a process for manifesting inspiration. In sales a successful process allows you to work by a consistent set of operating principles that guide and support you towards realising an outcome. This outcome can then be replicated time and again.

A lack of expertise in moving customers through an engagement process is commonly flagged by management as, “poor lead generation or closing ability from salespeople.” More accurate is both these points of failure are merely symptoms of a much larger problem: poor process. In that instance, where the process starts or finishes are determined by the customers and not salespeople.

A Doctor has a proven process for identifying and determining a patient’s appropriate course of medical treatment. A builder has process for moving a project from plan to lock-up. Athletes adhere to processes to maximise their performance. Equally, all salespeople should and are empowered when they work by a simple and well defined best practice process.

Process can be as simple as three steps or as complex and elaborate as you need. In my experience, process works best when it’s simple to understand and easy to deliver. Each step of the process should provide both salesperson and customer with the right information to make the right decision in order to move the process forward.

Your best salespeople are most likely already working by a conscious or unconscious sales process. This needs to be identified and then mapped and demonstrated by all team members. The key word here is: buy-in. “No why, no buy” applies to customers and salespeople. If they don’t understand the benefits they won’t engage with it. Regular training, collaborative strategy sessions and role-playing help to embed a sales process into a team and ensure its consistently utilised.

A process will lend itself to measurement. This makes developing team members more effective as you can chunk down their areas for development and augment their strengths.  The beauty of a successful sales process is that even less experienced salespeople can make it work. Such is the power of process.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

After over a decade of growing her web design business and helping clients achieve their goals―Sylvia’s success was recognised.

She was courted by a much larger company interested in buying her business for a generous price. The offer was enticing, also timely, as Sylvia had been admiring the green grass over the fence for some time. Months of negotiations ensued culminating in her company being sold and rolled into the larger entity.

A modified business name, new staff and a rebrand followed. She was appointed as a director and shareholder of the parent company. The new venture went well… for about two weeks! Sylvia quickly found herself immersed in a boys club. Her new partners’ snide and chauvinistic remarks, overt profit mentality and disrespect for some clients were excruciating to bear.

In less than six months it was clear she made an error in judgement and needed to exit the partnership. Tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and numerous sleepiness nights later―Sylvia reclaimed her original business. What she learnt through this process, although agonizing, was also profound. If you dont love and appreciate something― you will lose it.

Sylvia did get to feel the green grass tickle her toes, but like many who dare to leap onto it, she found the grass soggy underfoot and overrated. She didn’t know what she had until it was gone. Sylvia had a valuable and successful business; however, she stopped appreciating it and yearned for more. The amazing culture, creative freedom and work-life-balance, was all cast aside in pursuit of superficial goals and shiny ideals.

You can’t blame Sylvia for having a go, but her ambition came from a place of need, which turned out to be deceptive. Luckily she had the resources to fight and win her business back. In addition her loving and loyal business was very forgiving. As for Sylvia, she’s never been happier.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

More hands can make light work. Yet, often more hands only equates to more work.

When too many people are involved in a decision making process it becomes counterintuitive. Double handling frequently occurs so insecure managers are given a false sense of control. And it’s not difficult to get bogged down in bureaucracy and internal politics either.

Sometimes you’ve just got to go it alone. Particularly if you have no one around you prepared to strive for excellence with you. In that case, take the bloodied bull by the horns and put yourself out there!

Make a stand and take a calculated risk or two. This could mean being brave enough to find a company more aligned with your values, even if it means taking a pay cut or leaving your peers. Or if you genuinely believe you can do a better job than the company that employs you—do it yourself and determine your own destiny.

Do you really need a business partner, or is it fear of the unknown and safety in numbers mentality limiting your reality? Is it really worth enduring an overbearing boss who has no respect for you? I think you’re better than that.

Cash flow, resources, credibility, security and fear are all things that can be created or overcome. But it takes courage, a belief in your own ability and plenty of determination!  With the right plan and amount of patience anything is possible.

Granted, this is not a safe path for some of us, but for those made of the right stuff—it’s the only course of action. Sometimes you’ve just got to go it alone.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training

If customers really knew what was going on behind the scenes — many would be reluctant to buy.

Production creates the product and salespeople are entrusted to sell it. These two areas must be in unison but often collide with force. To salespeople production can be considered slow and inflexible. And according to production the salespeople can lack detail and over-promise. Morphing these two contrasting perceptions into a cohesive reality poses some very real challenges.

To be effective salespeople need to believe in what they sell. Any attempt to mislead customers will be met with resistance. Successful salespeople invest time understanding the inner workings of their product. They dont need to be experts, but they possess the ability to articulate the process involved in creating what they sell. This safeguards overpromising and also helps to build trust with customers.

Breakdowns between production and sales are generally caused by a lack of communication and limited understanding for what the other department does. Salespeople feel a sense of superiority, claiming, if they didn’t sell, there would be no business. Similarly, production spruiks without product salespeople would have nothing to sell. Both are correct and need to appreciate what the other area contributes.

I encourage production and sales people to brainstorm together regularly. In a safe environment, make time to share frustrations, insights, challenges and ideas for improvement. And ensure salespeople are not strangers to the production site and they regularly speak with key people that produce the product.

I find production people, despite their reluctance to “sell their product”; can be skilled in doing so. Their deep understanding and passion for the product is unparalleled. This knowledge is valuable and should be shared with your salespeople and then communicated to customers with gusto.

If production staff had to actually sell their product to customers, they may be given a new appreciation for how challenging it really is and why sometimes salespeople push too hard. One thing is for sure, when both departments are focused and aligned the business will sing like a well oiled machine.

Inspire,

Trent Leyshan

Sales Training